It was a grey, murky and drizzly December day – but for dozens of Dawlish and Teignmouth residents, it was the light at the end of the tunnel.

On Wednesday, December 23, a steady stream of cars was arriving at Dawlish Community Hospital, carrying patients over the age of 80 – the first group to receive the long-awaited Covid-19 vaccination.

The jabs were being given to patients of the three GP practices that worked together to set up the local vaccination centre: Dawlish's Barton Surgery, the Teign Estuary Medical Group and the Channel View Medical Practice.

Staff from the practices were helped by clinical staff from the hospital – and a team of volunteer marshals from Dawlish Town Council and Dawlish carnival, who stood outside in the rain directing the cars to the nearest parking places to the hospital building.

This first part of the three local GP practices' vaccination programme took place over two days, and Michelle Jones, the lead manager for the Coastal Network that comprises those practices, said it had been extremely busy, but very rewarding.

She said: "We've had an excellent uptake, and really positive comments from our patients.

"They're saying lovely things, like 'I'm really grateful that this is happening', 'thank you for doing this', and 'Now I can get my life back to some kind of normality'."

What happens when you go to the vaccination centre?

The three surgeries have pooled their staff to provide a team of five vaccinators, working from 8.30am until 1pm and 1pm until 6pm. Each has an admin assistant to input all the clinical information needed by the NHS.

When each patient arrived, they were given a safety check and then received their vaccination. They were then given a sticker on their hand showing the time of the jab, and led to a seating area where they waited for 15 minutes, observed by clinical staff, to make sure they didn't have any adverse reactions to the jab, before being allowed to go home.

Michelle explained that the national vaccination programme is led by NHS England, and all the local practices have to adhere to its directives.

This can mean having to move very quickly when they are notified that a supply of the vaccine is being made available.

"Not all the vaccines for your area will be released at the same time. We could have notice of just 72 hours before we get the vaccine, when we will mobilise sites and start contacting patients."

Why you can't ask your GP practice when your jab will be

This is part of the reason why it's important that people don't try to contact their GP surgery to ask when they will receive the vaccine. The practice will not know when the next supply is on its way until they're notified by NHS England.

The practice will then contact patients, in the order of priority dictated by NHS England, and patients must be available for the initial jab and the follow-up vaccine 21 days later.

Michelle said: "It's really important that when you do get your invitation, you do have your vaccine, because it will not only protect you, it will also protect your loved ones."

She said she was proud of what the three practices have achieved in getting the vaccination centre up and running, and administering so many jabs to vulnerable people in just two days.

"To be part of this campaign as a primary care team has been an absolute privilege.

"It's very hard work, but is very, very rewarding.

"The NHS has never embarked on a mass vaccination programme on this scale at all.

"All the primary care networks in Devon have put their names forward, and we've mobilised and pulled together and worked really well.

"It's true collaborative working, especially with our colleagues here at the hospital who've also been involved with the vaccination team."